The special event, taking place from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, will be televised live on Spike TV at 9pm ET, the same start time as the "Affliction: Banned" pay-per-view ($39.95) offering.
UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, widely considered to be the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, will move up to light-heavyweight to take on heavy-hitter James Irvin in the night's most intriguing matchup.
Another fighter testing the light-heavyweight division, Brandon Vera (8-2), slims down from heavyweight to face Reese Andy (7-1), formerly of the IFL Tiger Sharks.
Former lightweight title contender Hermes Franca (19-6) returns from his one-year steroid suspension to fight wrestling-based Frankie Edgar (8-1) in a bout initially planned for UFC 87 "Seek and Destroy" on August 9.
Anthony Johnson (5-1), who scored a ferocious knockout over Tommy Speer at UFC Fight Night 13, will fight Kevin Burns (7-1), a late replacement at UFC 83 "Bedlam" coming off an upset win by triangle choke over Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Roan Carneiro.
In a heavyweight showdown, the returning Jake O'Brien (10-1) will take on the highly touted Cain Velasquez (3-0) out of the American Kickboxing Academy.
The undercard is being filled with newcomers to the Octagon, including former IFL standouts Rory Markham (14-4) and Brad Blackburn (12-9-1).
UFC Fight Night "Silva vs. Irvin" Fight Card:
205 lbs. | Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin
205 lbs. | Reese Andy vs. Brandon Vera
155 lbs. | Hermes Franca vs. Frankie Edgar
170 lbs. | Anthony Johnson vs. Kevin Burns
170 lbs. | Rory Markham vs. Brodie Farber
170 lbs. | Brad Blackburn vs. James Giboo
155 lbs. | Dale Hartt vs. Shannon Gugherty
265 lbs. | Cain Velasquez vs. Jake O'Brien*
170 lbs. | Nate Loughran vs. Johnny Rees*
*not officially announced
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